Timocrates of Lampsacus

Timocrates of Lampsacus was the elder brother of Metrodorus, who was born in Lampsacus in the late 4th century BC. He studied with his brother in the school of Epicurus, but some time c. 290 BC, he broke with the school, apparently because he refused to accept that pleasure was the supreme good of life. The dispute became quite bitter; Philodemus quotes Timocrates saying "that he both loved his brother as no one else did and hated him as no one else." [Philodemus, "On Frank Criticism", from Fitzgerald, J., Obbink, D., Holland, G., "Philodemus and the New Testament World", page 64. BRILL.] In a much quoted letter, Metrodorus, in exaggerated fashion, took Timocrates to task for not making the stomach the standard in everything relating to the prime good. [Cicero, "De Natura Deorum", i.40; Athenaeus, vii. 279 F; Plutarch, "Non posse suaviter vivi secundum Epicurum", 1098; "Adversus Colotem", 1108, 1125.] Metrodorus wrote at least one work against Timocrates; [Diogenes Laërtius, x. 24, 136] and Epicurus also wrote an "Opinions on the Passions, against Timocrates". [Diogenes Laërtius, x. 28] In response, Timocrates wrote a polemic against Epicurus, whereby he claimed that Epicurus was not a genuine Athenian citizen, [Diogenes Laërtius, x. 5] and that he was slovenly, weak, ignorant, rude, and vomited twice a day from overindulgence. [Diogenes Laërtius, x. 6-8]

Notes